<p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>TWelcome to Talking Cities Aurora. In the Talk Lab booth, joining me is Kim Bright, who heads up the new civilian review board. Kim, welcome.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>Thank you.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>Tell me why you think this board is necessary and why it was time for the city.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>Well, after the murder of George Floyd last year, when the city started its change initiative and looking at the policing in the city, there's a shift in the atmosphere. So it's time for a change and to take a look at how policing is done in our communities.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>And how long had you been considering joining this board?</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>You know, when the mayor decided to initiate the change initiative, I saw it and I thought, well, I can help with this. I can moderate one of the sessions. And so that's what I did. I volunteered to do that. And I ended up, he asked me to work with them on setting up the CRB. That's we call it, the CRB.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>I like it, CRB. Okay.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>And so I spent time working with the city employees on that, and then I was selected. So I just felt it was something I could do to help. I wasn't going to get out in the streets and protest last summer during the midst of a pandemic. I mean, when the mayor's spokesperson introduces me, he always says Kim Bright has decades and decades and decades, and I was like, okay, that's enough.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>One less decade.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>But I was not going to do that, but I thought this would be a constructive way for me to help out.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>Right. Well, and it's important that we all use our voice, and that looks different for different people.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>Yes.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>I'm so grateful the city is doing this. From your perspective, what are some of the challenges you hope this board will resolve?</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>Well, I think this board's primary goal is to be a bridge between the citizens and the police department. We have the good, good fortune of being a very diverse board, so we can speak to all different areas of the diverse community that is Aurora. So I think that's our biggest thing. Now, I have had a lot of interaction with the police department already, and I think those have been good, but I think that's really where we will serve the best, will be in community outreach.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>I love that you're kind of in between the police and the community members, and it's important, though, for our audience that you are not necessarily affiliated with the police department. This is an independent board. Talk a little bit about that.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>Right. We're independent, we're neutral, because we will have to decide on complaints against the police for misconduct, for example. We'll make recommendations to the police department on those complaints. But we'll also do things like know your rights. So we want to be able to go with both sides, basically, to be able to interact with both sides.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>So not only part of the responsibilities are to review, but also to educate, then.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>Yes, exactly. Exactly.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>Walk me through the process the board might take when a complaint comes in.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>Well, we hope to have the ability to take complaints online, to have a fillable form so that citizens can go either to our website and file a complaint or go to the police department or the mayor's office.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>That's great.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>So there'll be a number of different venues where they can file a complaint. That's the first thing. When that complaint comes in, it will be referred to the police department because the police department will do the investigation, just as they normally would in another, before we even came into existence.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>But once that investigation is done and there's been a recommendation of discipline against a police officer, that case will come to us for review and a recommendation. And our recommendation, based on our review of the case, will go to the chief of police for his decision. And so after that, the police officer involved, if there is discipline imposed, would have an opportunity to appeal that decision so that their [inaudible 00:03:48] goes back into the, I guess, the process with the union appeal process.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>How many members are on the board?</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>Nine.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>Nine. And do you have terms? What will that look like in the future?</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>We do. We represent a broad range of the wards in the city. That's the first thing. And we have staggered terms. So my term, for example, is for three years. There's some board members that also have three year terms. That's the maximum length. And then others are appointed for two years and then others are appointed for one year. So the whole board won't go off at the same time.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>Right, right, allowing to train each other.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>And be continuity.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>Love it. Again, a great step forward for the city. How about your history? How long have you been an Aurora resident?</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>I've been an Aurora resident since 2003. I moved here as a single mom with two children in high school. So I was looking for a safe community to raise my children. And I think Aurora was a good fit for us.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>And you have a unique perspective that you bring to the board because you've practiced law for, I won't say how many decades, we'll just say a long time.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>I was in the federal government, proud civil servant, for 40 or more years. I retired from the Social Security Administration in 2014. I was an administrative law judge at that time.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>And what are your hopes for our great city?</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>Well, our hopes, I think all of us want a safe community where everyone is respected. I think everyone, irrespective of your perspective, can agree on that common goal. So I think that's a major focus will be of the board to try to help that be a reality here. We haven't had, I don't think, a lot of problems, like we have not had the same situations or situations we've seen in other parts of the country.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>Nationally, right.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>But I think the city was smart to be proactive, to set up this board, which is something constructive that's being done in other jurisdictions, as well.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>And listen, our city, they are so on the forefront. They truly want to do the right thing. They want to be present and really proactive. And so I'm always appreciative of how they are able to rally. And pulling residents for this board is, to me, it's a breath of fresh air, to know that there's going to be a neutral voice for the community. So thank you thus far for your volunteer work. I think we're going to see lots from the board, and we welcome you back on Talking Cities absolutely anytime. And we look forward to reporting on anything that you guys have your hands in.</p> <p>Kim Bright:</p> <p>Thank you so much.</p> <p>Nicole Astra:</p> <p>Thanks for joining us, Kim.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>